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Reviews on Portable Concentrators at High Altitudes

This entry was posted on October 1, 2019 by Scott Ridl.

Whether you want to climb to the top of Japan's Mt. Takao, or go hiking high in the Rocky Mountains, you will need to check oxygen concentrator specifications so you can safely reach these heights. Climbing quickly to high altitudes can be dangerous for anyone. Altitude sickness, also known as "Acute Mountain Sickness" or AMS, can happen to anyone because of the lack of oxygen in the air at high altitudes.

If one travels upward too high and too quickly, the amount of oxygen in the atmosphere isn't enough to keep the body healthy. The symptoms of AMS can mimic the symptoms of a cold and can be bad enough to put someone in the hospital. Before you do something as strenuous as climb a mountain or hiking at high altitudes, you will need to talk to your doctor.

An oxygen concentrator works by bringing in the air around it. Less oxygen at higher altitudes means it will have a much harder time working at a certain point above sea level. It won't be able to purify enough air for you to breathe if there isn't enough in the atmosphere around you. Most oxygen concentrators will operate at higher elevations, but some models perform better than others.

Check out what people had to say about our portable oxygen concentrators, while they were traveling about and admiring the world from a bird's eye view.

Karen, 57, owner of a Respironics SimplyGo – I decided to get my SimpleGo because of how high it can go and still give me the oxygen I need. When I was diagnosed with COPD, and my doctor prescribed oxygen with a continuous flow, I was sad because I thought that meant I wouldn't be able to climb Mt. Takao, which was on my bucket list for many years. When I read that it can go as high as 10,000 feet, it offers a continuous flow and is only 10 pounds, and I knew I had to get it. I have a bad back, so I didn't want to carry something up a mountain that weighed close to 20 lbs. This concentrator was perfect for what I needed, and I'm planning on go back to Mt. Takao again next year!

Jim, 60, owner of a SeQual Eclipse – I wasn't about to give up my love for hiking in the Rockies when I was diagnosed with Emphysema 5 years ago. Lugging around oxygen tanks just wasn't going to work for me either, so that's when I got my Eclipse. I got it because it can go as far up as 13,123 feet above sea level, which is more than enough for someone like me. I also need continuous flow, which it delivers, and the batteries are enough to get me through until I can charge them again.

Randy, 55, rented an Inogen One G2 – I found out my family was going on an adventure to hike to the top of Guadalupe peak in Texas, and at first I didn't think I'd be able to come along because of my need for oxygen therapy throughout the day, and I couldn't exactly bring my home concentrator with me. I got the 24 cell for the longer battery life, and this thing was great because of how light it was. I had a good time with my family on our vacation because I rented this concentrator.

Updated: October 1, 2019Published: May 7, 2013

About Scott Ridl: Scott joined American Medical Sales and Rentals in 2008 as a Web Manager and Content Writer. He is a writer and designer. He is extensively trained on oxygen therapy products from leading manufacturers such as Inogen, Respironics, Chart, Invacare, ResMed and more.
Scott works closely with respiratory therapists and oxygen specialists to educate the community about oxygen therapy products, COPD, asthma and lung diseases. He writes weekly columns and is passionate about educating the community on oxygen therapy and respiratory issues.

The answer is yes. Oxygen will help with altitude sickness and will help people adjust. You do however need either a prescription or a tax id number to purchase an oxygen concentrator. Feel free to contact us at 888-360-9628 or if you prefer email [email protected]

Can an oxygen concentrator be used in unpressurised aircrafts used in general aviation to fly between 15,000 ft - 20,000 ft? Will the low pressure at such altitudes affect the operations of the oxygen concentrator?

My wife has pretty serious COPD and is on her oxygen concentrator 27/7. He in house unit s a Oxlife Independence O2 concepts continuous concentrator and for out of the house she has a Inogen 1 G4. We live at an elevation of 1500 ft above sea level and would like to take an extended road trip in our motorhome that will take us up to elevation aroune 5500 ft over a period of several weeks. We can take these concentrators with us and they can operate 24/7 just as they do at home. My question is, will they perform as well at the higher elevations as they do at home? If so, then I will not worry about putting my wife in jeopardy. I don't want her to have more difficulty breathing than she does at home.

The Inogen G4 is rated up to 10,000 feet and the Oxlife Independence is rated up to 13,000 feet. The concentrators will still function at higher altitudes, but the oxygen purity may drop. I hope this answers your questions and feel free to contact us at 1-877-644-4581 if you have further questions.

My mother in law lives in Mexico. There's altitude is by 2,200 meters or above 6,500 feet over the sea. She need to use 5LPM and will buy a Respironics Millennium 10L. My question is regarding the altitud, Is this equipment aducuate for this altitude? Thanks I will really appreciate your help

Good question, Agus! Per Respironics, the oxygen concentration will decrease on an altitude higher than 1,368 feet (417 meters). We are not sure how much the oxygen concentration will decrease. However, this can be compensated by increasing the oxygen flow but consult with a doctor on how much to increase the flow by. Please reach us out at 888-387-5914 if you have more questions.